The Syrian army has so far downed three Turkish drones that Ankara had been using extensively to hit Syrian army locations and air bases, Syrian state media said on Sunday. The Syrian army confirmed on Sunday two of its war planes were downed by Turkish jets after they were intercepted during a combat mission in Idlib province.

Earlier, Turkey's Defence Ministry said one of its drones had been downed on Sunday.

Ankara began using drones to strike at President Bashar al Assad's forces after the death last Thursday of 33 Turkish soldiers in an air strike by Damascus.

The Syrian opposition said the drone attacks have been instrumental in inflicting heavy losses on the Syrian army and allied Iranian-backed militias fighting alongside them.